How much does it cost to keep your cool?

In this heat, cooling your building is a major energy cost – so how can you keep costs down?

In the recent hot spell, we’ve all been looking to stay cool. If you have air conditioning then you’ll have been using this a lot.
But are you using the air con efficiently? Are you wasting money?

Heating and cooling typically accounts for over 40% of the energy costs of a building. (1)

If you have an air conditioning system, how efficient is it? The energy it uses will depend upon a number of factors such as how old it is, what temperature it’s set to, when it was last serviced and how you manage it.

If you don’t have an air conditioning system, there are still actions you can take to keep cool.

And it’s not just the cost of the energy, it’s also the impact on your staff and their productivity that is influenced by cooling your building efficiently.

So here are some actions you can take. Some require very little expenditure, others a bit more, but if done correctly, all will provide savings:

Reduce the need for cooling. For example, take advantage of the cooler air at the ends of the day and keep blinds angled to reduce direct sunlight.

Change staff behaviour by helping them learn how they can control their environment efficiently. For example, make sure windows are closed while the AC is running

Understand and use controls to deliver savings while creating comfortable conditions for staff. Install new controls if necessary

Ensure existing systems are regularly maintained so they’re as efficient as possible

If the system is old, look to replace it to take advantage of new technologies which reduce energy consumption significantly

There are lots of ways to save money and go green – not just by cooling your office and buildings less expensively. If you have this ambition, but don’t know how to move to action, then be part of the GreenValue Cost Savings Assessment pilot. It will show you where you can make the greatest financial impact to your business. And, as this is a new service, for a limited period, we are trialling it with businesses for free.

Article 9 – 24/7/2018

Mission Possible – Achieving a Sustainable Future

Move from ambition to action

THE MISSION – should we choose to accept it:

achieve a low-carbon, resource-efficient business revolution, driven by a scaling up of effort and innovation across all areas of sustainable development (edie).

The fallout if we don’t is impossible to consider!

edie’s Mission Possible 2018 Report on the future of sustainable business, explores the key commercial drivers, challenges and opportunities on the road to a low-carbon, resource-efficient planet.

It is mission possible to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and limit the temperature rise to less than 2oC.

While Governments around the world are setting reduction targets, it’s actually businesses and organisations that are making the greatest changes. And that’s not just because it’s the right thing to do, they are finding real business advantage from going green. Some recent examples include

Mastercard has already achieved 720,000 kW-hrs of energy savings through implementation of energy efficiency projects and diverted 75% of waste generated through effective recycling and waste reduction. It’s now committed to cut emissions by 20% by 2025, against a 2016 baseline, partly by constructing new buildings to green certification standards.

Following Manchester United and Real Madrid, Juventus have revealed that their 2018-19 season third-kit, supplied by Adidas, will help clean up the waves because they are made from a 100% recycled polyester generated from ocean-bound plastics.

Danone North America, Mars, Nestlé US and Unilever US as founding members of the Sustainable Food Policy Alliance have a focus on creating economic and environmental gains while championing food production in the US.

There are lots of simple options to save money and go green. If you have this ambition, but don’t know how to move to action, then be part of the GreenValue Cost Savings Assessment pilot. It will show you where you can make the greatest financial impact to your business. And, as this is a new service, for a limited period, we are trialling it with businesses for free.

Article 8 – 19/7/2018

Win or Learn?

Never lose – only win or learn!

I was listening to a tennis coach the other day and I loved his comment that you don’t win or lose; you win or learn!

I’m sure the England football team is doing this right now and perhaps it’s something you should consider. Are you beating your competition or can you learn from what the best companies are doing?

Many companies and organisations are finding real business benefit and competitive edge from being more sustainable. Are you? If not, we have an easy way to unlock the opportunities! This is a new service which we are currently looking to pilot with a further 12 businesses (at no charge).

If you register to be a pilot, we’ll run through an assessment questionnaire with you and produce a dashboard and report from which you’ll learn where your best business opportunities are to save money by going green and we will be able to further improve the toolset.

Article 7 – 10/7/2018

How do you break out of defence?

You know the situation. You’re fighting attacks from all directions, so how do you break out and put pressure on your competition?

Perhaps you’re one of the 68% of CEOs who think their company should be going green, but have just not found the time to do it yet. There’s too much other stuff going on, too many urgent things that need to be fixed – and anyway, you don’t really know what impact going green could have on your finances.

But if you’re on the defensive all the time, you’re never going to win the game. You need to break out from time to time and make some positive moves. This is where GreenValue can help. Just by putting aside a single hour, you can complete our assessment questionnaire and we will tell you where you could start making those really positive moves.

Article 6 – 3/7/2018

Colombia are beating England!

They’re ahead on goals (for Sustainable Development)

Colombia is taking an integrated approach to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is localising the SDGs and using the SDG framework to guide reforms.

Only 2 of the 18 UK Government Departments mention the SDGs as part of their plans according to Mary Creagh, Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC).

How can we stage a comeback like Belgium? Perhaps follow the lead of Adnams plc, the award-winning brewery and distillery in Suffolk, who are aligning their activities to the SDGs to understand their wider social impacts.

Businesses need to take the lead. So how can you kick off your sustainable journey and unearth your winning ways?

The GreenValue Assessment will show you which green projects are top of the league for saving you money.

Article 5 – 7/6/2018

Why would a Finance Director be responsible for sustainability?

At their core, both finance and sustainability look to the future, so there are opportunities to align them successfully

Adnams plc, the award-winning brewery and distillery in Suffolk, are demonstrating the success of linking together Finance and Sustainability under the directorship of Richard Carter. With his leadership and Ben Orchard’s management, Adnams:

A pound generated from a sale is reduced by the cost of that sale (commissions and other sales costs, the expense of the product or service you are selling and administrative or overhead costs). In fact, a net profit is all that remains.

For example:

if you sella product for £100 and you have an 20% net profit margin, that £100 sale is worth just £20 to the business.

If you save £100, it is worth £100 to the business

a saving of £10k is worth the same in profit as £50k of new business!

The smaller your profit margin, the greater a cost saving is worth to you.

Being more sustainable brings new opportunities to reduce your business costs. This is a truly dynamic and innovative area where new, greener products are being introduced at a rapid rate. They provide you with the opportunity to use less energy, reduce waste and use more renewable resources – and all of these will save you money.

There are lots of ways you can save money by going green. There are opportunities in heating and cooling, lighting, water, waste, transport and resources. The question is “where is the best place for you to start?”

Gain business advantage by going green

Many companies focused on sustainability have seen higher growth than the norm, with an average year-on-year growth rate of 14%. This has been driven by increased demand for purpose-led brands from consumers, alongside employees who choose to work for organisations driven by purpose beyond profit.

But how do you join them? GreenValue can help you identify where your best opportunities are to go green and save money.

Article 2 – 9/5/2018

Do you have a business plan for the end of the world?

No sustainability in your business plan means

you are planning for the end of the world

… and the end of your business.

Investors, consumers, governments and other businesses require businesses to demonstrate by word and deed that they are sustainable and even have a positive impact on our environment.

Are you one of the 68% of CEOs who want to go green, but have yet to start?

What’s stopping you?

Marks and Spencer saved £750m over the 10 years of their Plan A programme.

A warehouse reduced its annual electricity bills from over £30,000 to less than £10,000 by going green.

A primary school halved its electricity bill by changing to low energy lighting.

There are lots of ways you, too, can save money by going green. There are opportunities in heating and cooling, lighting, water, waste, transport and resources. The question is “where is the best place for you to start?”

Article 1 -1 1/5/2018

What does going green mean for your business?

It means reducing greenhouse gas emissions, using resources more sustainably and producing less waste.

Why should your organisation be interested in this?

Because – Going green can bring value to your business ….
… in lots of different ways. The question is not “should we go green”, but “where do we start?”.
And because you have to! Not only to save the planet, but because Government legislation and schemes will force you to.